Connecting the Austin rock band’s constellation of rock sounds
By Gary Moskowitz
An important thing to know about Die Spitz — an all-female heavy rock band from Austin, Texas that bludgeon crowds with heavy, thick, loud guitar riffs and shouted vocals — is that they do not take their bludgeoning seriously.
Their music sounds serious and fierce, but band members Chloe de St. Aubin, Kate Halter, Eleanor Livingston, and Ava Schrobilgen smile and laugh and dance while they plow through their live set. They enjoy themselves and don’t overthink what’s happening. Their version of a headbanger’s ball is a party you want to attend.
After seeing them perform a recent sold-out show at The Independent, a medium-sized venue in San Francisco, I wanted to understand where their sound and vibe come from.
Here’s my attempt at mapping the Die Spitz universe with facts and anecdotes:
- They love Black Sabbath, and guitarist/singer Livingston saw them perform when she was 10 years old.
- Nirvana is a big influence. So are indie rock group Mannequin Pussy and alternative metal band Deftones.
- They’ve toured with Sleater-Kinney, post-punk group Viagra Boys, Amyl & The Sniffers (pub rock-punk), Babe Haven (queer punk), and Flowers For The Dead (alt-rock). Modern shoegaze band Rocket opened for them at the San Francisco show.
- Grammy-winner Will Yip, who has worked with Turnstile (post-punk-rock) and Superheaven (modern grunge), produced their latest album.
- They’re signed to Jack White’s Third Man Records.
- When they first started making music, they wanted to be like The Pixies.
- Austin bands Sodomy Cop (metal-hardcore) and rock band Grocery Bag shared the stage at one of their early EP release parties.
- Livingston’s dad plays guitar in Austin rock/soul/funk group Relentless Jones.
- At least one band member has put their college studies at University of Texas at Austin on pause.
- “I want to play a sorority party and ignite the feminine rage in these women that I know exists,” Andrews told the Austin Chronicle.
